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Lithuania

This page gathers key information on Lithuania's negotiations to join the WTO.  Lithuania became the 141st WTO Member on 31 May 2001. As of 1 May 2004 it is a member State of the European Union (more info). All EU member States are WTO members, as is the EU (until 30 November 2009 known officially in the WTO as the European Communities for legal reasons) in its own right.

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WTO accession process in brief

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Lithuania's Timeline

I. Overview
GATT application received 18/01/1994  L/7398
GATT Accession Working Party established 22/02/1994  C/M/270
GATT terms of reference & accession Working Party membership  14/03/1994  L/7427
14/12/1994  L/7551
WTO application received & WTO accession Working Party established 02/02/1995
  •  WT/L/41 (Request to transform the Working Party on the Accession of Lithuania to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1947 into a WTO accession Working Party. As per document WT/L/41 of 16 February 1995, the Working Party on the Accession of Lithuania to the GATT 1947 was transformed into a WTO Accession Working Party, in accordance with the decision adopted by the General Council on 31 January 1995. Document WT/L/41 also reproduced the name of the Chairperson and the terms of reference of the Working Party.)
WTO terms of reference & accession Working Party membership  11/04/1995  WT/ACC/LTU/1  + ( revisions)
Chairperson of the Accession Working Party 
1st 04/1995 - 05/2001 Mr. Peter WITT (Germany)
Formal Meetings of the Working Party Convening notice/fax Statement(s) by the Head of the Delegation Statement(s) by Working Party members Delegation list Other documents for the meeting News item
1st 10/11/1995
2nd 25/03/1996 WT/ACC/LTU/9 WT/ACC/LTU/8
3rd 07/10/1996 WT/ACC/SPEC/LTU/5
4th 26/03/1997 WT/ACC/LTU/14
5th 02/10/2000
Informal Meetings of the Working Party Date of the meeting Convening fax Statement(s) by the Head of the Delegation
Plurilateral Meetings Date of the meeting Convening fax Statement(s) by the Head of the Delegation
II. Multilateral Negotiations
Memorandum on the Foreign Trade Regime (MFTR)  14/12/1994  L/7551
Initial cycle(s) of Questions and Replies, following the circulation of the MFTR 12/09/1995  WT/ACC/LTU/2
30/07/1996  WT/ACC/LTU/10
13/06/2000  WT/ACC/LTU/48
01/11/1995  WT/ACC/LTU/4
27/02/1996  WT/ACC/LTU/7   (+  addendum)
Factual Summary of Points Raised 
Additional Questions & Replies 24/02/1997  WT/ACC/LTU/12
13/06/1997  WT/ACC/LTU/15
26/10/2000  WT/ACC/LTU/51
Elements of a Draft Report of the Working Party  07/02/1997  WT/ACC/SPEC/LTU/6
Draft Report of the Working Party  23/06/1997  WT/ACC/SPEC/LTU/8  (+  revisions & corrigenda)
Agriculture (WT/ACC/22/Add.1), including Questions and Replies  30/07/1996  WT/ACC/SPEC/LTU/2
12/06/1997  WT/ACC/SPEC/LTU/7  (+  revisions & addendum)
SPS Checklist (WT/ACC/22/Add.2 29/09/1999  WT/ACC/LTU/43 
TBT Checklist (WT/ACC/22/Add.2 29/09/1999  WT/ACC/LTU/41 
TRIPS Questionnaire (WT/ACC/22/Add.2 29/09/1999  WT/ACC/LTU/42
Import Licensing Procedures Questionnaire (WT/ACC/22 + revisions
Customs Valuation Checklist (WT/ACC/22 + revisions
State-Trading Questionnaire (WT/ACC/22 + revisions
Draft Subsidies Notification (WT/ACC/22/Add.2
Comprehensive Legislative Action Plan (LAP)  12/04/1999  WT/ACC/LTU/32 
26/05/1999  WT/ACC/LTU/33
15/06/1999  WT/ACC/LTU/36
02/08/1999  WT/ACC/LTU/36/Rev.1
13/10/1999  WT/ACC/LTU/36/Rev.2
13/04/2000  WT/ACC/LTU/36/Rev.3
Rule-specific Action Plans 
Legislation and implementing regulations    Click for details Legislation notice Notified legislation
12/09/1995  WT/ACC/LTU/2/Add.2
  •  Government Resolution No. 281 "On Partial Amendments to Resolution No. 985 "On Procedure of Export and Import Regulation in the Republic of Lithuania adopted by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania on 14 October 1994", 28 February 1995
  •  Law on Commercial Banks No. I-720 of 21 December 1994
  •  Law on State Regulation of Economic Relations in Agriculture No. I-734 of 22 December 1994
  •  Law on Trade No. I-747 of 12 January 1995
  •  Law on Alcohol Control No. I-857 of 18 April 1995 (as amended by 3 July 1995)
  •  Law on Sugar No. I-867 of 27 April 1995
  •  Law on Foreign Capital Investment in the Republic of Lithuania No. I-938 of 13 June 1995
  •  Government Resolution No. 35 "On the Approval of the Order of Foodstuffs Imported into the Republic of Lithuania and their Quality Control" of 9 January 1995
  •  Government Resolution No. 510 "On Approving Provisional Regulations of Government Procurement" of 12 April 1995
  •  Government Resolution No. 511 "On Approving Regulations of Rendering Services" of 12 April 1995
  •  Government Resolution No. 635 "On the General Order of the Administration of Tariff Quotas for Implementation and Exportation of Goods" of 8 May 1995
  •  Government Resolution No. 718 "On the Restriction of Import of Certain Things (Goods) to the Republic of Lithuania, their Export and Transit" of 19 May 1995
29/02/1996  WT/ACC/LTU/2/Add.3
  •  Law on Industrial Design, NO.I-1006, July 4, 1995
  •  Government Resolution NO.205 on Enactment of the Free Trade Agreement betweenthe Republic of Lithuania and the European Community, the European Atomic Energy Commuity, and the European coal and Steel Community, NO.205, February 8, 1995
28/03/1996  WT/ACC/LTU/2/Add.4
  •  Government Resolution No.1221 "On Licensing Wholesale and Retail Trade in Import and Export of Oil Products and Retail Trade in Liquid Gas" (14 September 1995)
  •  Government Resolution No.1459 "On Licensing Import, Wholesale and Retail Trade in Alcoholic Products" (17 November 1995)
  •  Government Resolution No. 1622 "On Licensing the Production of Tobacco and its Products and their Import into the Republic if Lithuania" (27 December 1995)
25/07/1996  WT/ACC/LTU/2/Add.5
  •  Law on Insurance, No.I 590, 20 September 1990
  •  Law on Plant Protection, No.I 1069, 19 October 1995
  •  Law on Communications, No.I 1109, 30 November 1995
  •  Law on Tobacco Control, No.I 1143, 20 December 1995
  •  Government Resolution No.449 on the Approval of the Order of Customs Valuation of Goods, 16 June 1993
24/02/1997  WT/ACC/LTU/11
  •  Law on the Legal Protection of Computer Programs and Databases, No. I-1188, 30 January 1996
  •  The Customs Code of the Republic of Lithuania, 6 June 1996
  •  Law on Metrology, No. I-1452, 9 July 1996
  •  Law on Insurance, No.I 1456, 10 July 1996
  •  Law on Public Procurement, No. I 1491, 13 August 1996
  •  Government Resolution No.751 on the Customs Assessment of Prices for Imported Goods, 25 June 1996
13/06/1997  WT/ACC/LTU/15/Add.1
  •  Law on the Protection of Plant Varieties and Seed Cultivation No. I-1518 of 17 September 1996
  •  Law on Stamp Duty No. I-508 of 23 June 1994
  •  Draft Law on the Conformity Assessment System
  •  Government Resolution No. 384 On the Approval of Quarantine Regulations for the Production, Transportation, Conservation, Sale and Utilization of Plants and Plant Products on the Territory of the Republic of Lithuania of 25 March 1996
13/03/1998  WT/ACC/LTU/20
  •  Law No. I-857 of 18 April 1995 On Alcohol Control
  •  Law No. I-734 of 22 December 1994 On State Regulation of Economic Relations in Agriculture
  •  Law No. I-345 of 22 December 1993 On Value-Added Tax
  •  Law No. I-429 of 12 April 1994 On Excise DutiesLaw No. I-196 of 8 May 1990 On Enterprises
06/04/1998  WT/ACC/LTU/21
  •  Resolution No. 1106 of 9 October 1997 On Approval of the Procedure of the Importation of Foodstuffs into the Republic of Lithuania and Control of Their Quality and Non-Hazardness to Health
  •  Resolution No. 559 of 5 June 1997 On Licensing the Importation, Wholesale and Retail Trade in Alcoholic Products
  •  Resolution No. 806 of 24 July 1997 On the Tariff and Non-Tariff Regulation of Export and Import of Goods and Improvement of Establishment of Customs Tariffs and Procedure of Change
  •  Resolution No. 1367 of 30 December 1994 On the Establishment of the Structure of Customs Tariffs
  •  Summary of the Free Trade Agreement Between the Republic of Lithuania and Ukraine
14/12/1998  WT/ACC/LTU/28
  •  Law No. VIII-807 of 23 June 1998 on Anti-Dumping
  •  Law No. VIII-633 of 19 February 1998 on Customs Tariffs
  •  Law No. VIII-744 of 9 June 1998 on Telecommunications
  •  Decree of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania No. 788 On the Approval of the Programme for the Regulation of Agricultural and Food Products Market and Export Promotion
16/02/1999  WT/ACC/LTU/30
  •  Law No. VIII-870 of 6 October 1998 on the Conformity of Assessment
  •  Law No. VIII-791 of 16 June 1998 on the Legal Protection of Topographies of Semi-conductor Products
  •  Law No. I-429 of 12 April 1994 on Excise Duties (as amended by Law No. VIII-901 of 20 October 1998)
  •  Resolution of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania No. 1296 of 4 November 1998 on the Procedure for Withholding and Refund of Excise Tax and Approval of the List of Products which Contain Sugar
31/05/1999  WT/ACC/LTU/34
  •  Law on Competition, 23 March 1999, No. VIII-1099
  •  Law on Alcohol Control, 18 April 1995 No. I-857 as amended by 10 December 1998, No. VIII-961
  •  Law on Excise Duties, 12 April 1994, No. I-429 as amended by 21 December 1998, No. VIII-982
  •  Government Resolution No. 176 of 19 February 1999 Concerning the Amendment of Government Resolution of 30 December 1998 No. 1524 Regarding the Implementation of the Europe Agreement Establishing an Association Between the European Communities and Their Member States, of the One Part, and the Republic of Lithuania, of the Other Part
  •  Government Resolution No. 1524 of 30 December 1998 Regarding the Implementation of the Europe Agreement Establishing an Association Between the European Communities and Their Member States, of the One Part, and the Republic of Lithuania, of the Other Part
  •  Government Resolution No. 774 of 23 June 1998 on the Amendment of Government Resolution No. 1123 of 11 November 1994 on the Approval of Stamp Duty Rates and the Procedure for Payment and Refund of Stamp Duty
  •  Government Resolution No. 1169 of 29 September 1998 on the Amendment of Government Resolution No. 1123 of 11 November 1994 on the Approval of Stamp Duty Rates and the Procedure for Payment and Refund of Stamp Duty
  •  Government Resolution No. 1297 of 4 November 1998 Supplementing the Government Resolution No. 302 of 25 April 1994 on Excise Taxes
  •  Government Resolution No. 1245 of 20 October 1998 Amending Government Resolution No. 268 of 24 March 1997 on the Procedure of Export and Import Regulation in the Republic of Lithuania
26/06/1999  WT/ACC/LTU/37
  •  Law on Mental Health Care, 6 June 1996, No. I-924
  •  Law on Tourism, 19 March 1998, No. VIII-667
  •  Law on the Amendment of the Law on Health Care Institutions, 24 June 1997, No. VIII-288
  •  Law on Health System 19 July 1994, No. I-552
  •  Law on Public Trading in Securities, 16 January 1996, No. I-1169
  •  Law on Veterinary Activities, 17 December 1991, No. I-2110
  •  Government of the Republic of Lithuania, Resolution No. 559, 5 June 1997, On Licensing the Importation of Wholesale and Retail Trade in Alcoholic Products
01/07/1999  WT/ACC/LTU/38
  •  Government Resolution No. 504 of 24 April 1998 amending Government Resolution No. 751 of 25 June 1996 "On the Prices of Import for their Customs Valuation"
  •  Law on the Legal Status of Aliens, No VIII-978, 17 December 1998
  •  Government Resolution No 617 of 20 May 1999 "On Information Exchange in the Field of Standards, Technical Regulations and Conformity Assessment Procedures"
  •  Lithuanian Standards Board Order No 13 of 22 February 1999. This document, which contains a part of the Code of Good Practice disciplines, established procedure of drafting, approval, publication and revision of standards
26/07/1999  WT/ACC/LTU/39
  •  Government Resolution No. 1077 of 1 October 1977 on the Determination of Origin of Goods and on the Certificates of Origin of the General Form
  •  Government Resolution No. 641 of 24 May 1999 on Partial Amendments to Resolution No. 268 of 24 March 1997 of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania on the Procedure for Export and Import Regulation in the Republic of Lithuania
  •  Government Resolution No. 748 of 9 June 1999 on the Approval of the Procedure of the Customs Valuation of Goods
  •  Law No. I-119 of 6 April 1993 on Procedure of Publication and Coming into Force of Laws and other Legal Acts of the Republic of Lithuania
  •  Law No. VIII-1185 of 18 May 1999 on Copyright and Related Rights
  •  Law No. I-425 of 30 July 1990 on Stock Corporations
14/09/1999  WT/ACC/LTU/40
12/10/1999  WT/ACC/LTU/44
10/02/2000  WT/ACC/LTU/45
11/04/2000  WT/ACC/LTU/46
08/06/2000  WT/ACC/LTU/47
20/06/2000  WT/ACC/LTU/49
11/08/2000  WT/ACC/LTU/50
29/09/2000  WT/ACC/LTU/50/Add.1
04/10/2000  WT/ACC/LTU/50/Add.2
Consultation documents    Click for details Consultation notice Notified consultation document
12/09/1995  WT/ACC/LTU/2/Add.1
  •  Introductory Note to Questions and Replies to the Memorandum on the Foreign Trade Rιgime
13/10/1995  WT/ACC/LTU/3
  •  Checklist of Documents
02/11/1995  WT/ACC/LTU/3/Rev.1
  •  Checklist of Documents
27/11/1995  WT/ACC/LTU/5   (+  corrigendum)
  •  Memorandum on the Services Rιgime
07/03/1996  WT/ACC/LTU/6
  •  Checklist of Documents
01/10/1996  WT/ACC/LTU/6/Rev.1
  •  Checklist of Documents
24/02/1997  WT/ACC/LTU/11
  •  Free Trade Agreement between the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Latvia and the Republic of Lithuania on Trade in Agricultural Products, 16 June 1996
14/03/1997  WT/ACC/LTU/13
  •  Checklist of Documents
09/10/1997  WT/ACC/LTU/16
  •  Free Trade Agreements between the Republic of Lithuania and the Czech Republic, between the Republic of Lithuania and the Slovak Republic and between the Republic of Lithuania and the Republic of Slovenia
01/10/1997  WT/ACC/LTU/17 (+  addendum)
  •  The Privatization Process in Lithuania
23/01/1998  WT/ACC/LTU/18
  •  Information on consular fees levied in accordance with the Law of 16 November 1994
10/02/1998  WT/ACC/LTU/19
  •  Information on licensing criteria for imported goods
14/05/1998  WT/ACC/LTU/22
  •  Lithuania’s progress in implementing the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures
17/03/1999  WT/ACC/LTU/22/Rev.1
  •  Lithuania’s progress in implementing the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures
14/05/1998  WT/ACC/LTU/23
  •  Information on Lithuania’s agriculture sector
25/06/1998  WT/ACC/LTU/25
  •  Veterinary Requirements of the Republic of Lithuania for import, export and transit
04/09/1998  WT/ACC/LTU/26
  •  The Sugar Industry in Lithuania: Situation and Perspectives
07/09/1998  WT/ACC/LTU/27
  •  Information on the textile, clothing, fur dressing and dyeing in Lithuania
12/11/1998  WT/ACC/LTU/29
  •  Information on National Enquiry Points of Lithuania
17/03/1999  WT/ACC/LTU/31
  •  Information on State-trading in Lithuania
04/06/1999  WT/ACC/LTU/35
  •  Notification on the operation of the special purpose state enterprises
15/06/1999  WT/ACC/LTU/36 (+  revisions)
  •  Information showing the progress in the adoption of legislation to WTO legal framework
14/10/1996  WT/ACC/SPEC/LTU/4  (+  addendum)
  •  Import/export regime of Lithuania
30/09/1997  WT/ACC/SPEC/LTU/9
  •  Request for Transition Period to Implement Specific Provisions of the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures
16/10/1997  WT/ACC/SPEC/LTU/10
  •  Progress in Implementing the Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights
06/01/1998  WT/ACC/SPEC/LTU/11
  •  Progress in Privatization of Up and Downstream Industries in Lithuanian Agriculture
14/05/1998  WT/ACC/LTU/24
  •  Offer for insurance services
03/02/2000  WT/ACC/SPEC/LTU/12
  •  Agriculture and Related Issues
28/07/2000  WT/ACC/SPEC/LTU/13
  •  Consolidated List of Specific Commitments on Trade in Services
11/08/2000  WT/ACC/SPEC/LTU/14
  •  Consolidated List of Specific Concessions and Commitments on Trade in Goods
III. Bilateral Market Access Negotiations 
Goods Offer(s)  14/10/1996  WT/ACC/SPEC/LTU/3  (+  revision)
Services Offer(s)  30/07/1996  WT/ACC/SPEC/LTU/1  (+  revisions & addendum)
Register of Bilateral Market Access Agreements 
Draft Goods Schedule  29/09/2000  WT/ACC/SPEC/LTU/15  (+  addendum & corrigendum)
Draft Services Schedule  28/09/2000  WT/ACC/SPEC/LTU/16 
Goods and Services Technical Verification Meetings 
IV. Summary of Final Meeting of the Working Party
V. Accession Package (“Terms of Accession”, de-restricted) 
Ministerial Conference/General Council Decision on the Accession 08/12/2000  WT/ACC/LTU/53  News item
Protocol of Accession  08/12/2000  WT/ACC/LTU/54
Report of the Working Party 07/11/2000  WT/ACC/LTU/52
Goods Schedule (Schedule of Concessions and Commitments Annexed to the GATT 1994)  17/11/2000  WT/ACC/LTU/52/Add.1 (+  corrigendum)
Services Schedule (Schedule of Specific Commitments Annexed to the GATS)  17/11/2000  WT/ACC/LTU/52/Add.2
VI. Accessions Commitments Database (ACDB) 
Specific Accession Commitments   http://acdb.wto.org/ click on “Report by Member”, select “Lithuania” in drop down list then click on “View Report”
VII. Instrument of Acceptance 
Notification of Acceptance and Entry Into Force of the Protocol of Accession 01/05/2001  WT/LET/393
VIII. Date of Membership
  31/05/2001 141st Member
IX. Since 1995, this is the…
13th economy that joined the WTO pursuant to Article XII of the Marrakesh Agreement.

Note:
The de-restriction of documents is a key component of the transparency obligations of the Multilateral Trading System.  Paragraphs 1 and 2(e) of the Ministerial Council Decision WT/L/452 of 14 May 2002 provide that “documents relating to working parties on accession shall be restricted and shall be automatically de-restricted upon the adoption of the report of the working party” by the Ministerial Conference/General Council.  The time of completion of the de-restriction process depends on the amount and complexities of the documents involved.  Prior to 2002, the de-restriction of accession-related documents was governed by a different set of rules (i.e. General Council Decision WT/L/160/Rev.1 of 26 July 1996), which only affect documents circulated prior to 2002.